We compared Fiat Tipo engines, and the efficiency crown goes to...

It's always been a fringe player in a market segment that’s dominated by the VW Polo, so the Fiat Tipo was always going to face an uphill battle in South Africa – in spite of its market success in its native Europe. Initially available with a choice between three engines, the range has subsequently been trimmed-down to include only petrol-powered drivetrains. 

There are still some earlier diesels available in the used market, however, provided you’re willing to hunt one down (or wait for one to turn up in the used-car listings), so we decided to include this now-discontinued power unit in this engine comparison anyway. The other engine options remain as-is, even after the Tipo’s recent facelift, so the data we use here will apply to both pre- and post-facelift Tipos. 

Related: Shop for new and used Fiat Tipo cars for sale here.

 

Fiat Tipo	1.4 16V	1.6 E-torQ	1.3 MultiJet
Engine type	4-cylinder, non-turbo petrol	4-cylinder, non-turbo petrol	4-cylinder, turbo-diesel
Engine Outputs	70 kW/127 Nm	81 kW/152 Nm	70 kW/200 Nm
Gearbox type	6-speed manual	6-speed automatic	5-speed manual
Claimed Average Fuel Consumption	5.7 ℓ/100 km	6.3 ℓ/100 km	3.7 ℓ/100 km

 

Which one gets the efficiency crown?

In many ways, the small diesel was the pick of the initial range, so the decision to drop it from local Tipos was indeed a strange one. It had by far the most torque in the local range, posted much lower fuel consumption claims than either of the petrol alternatives, and its wide torque curve would have made for efficient yet effortless progress. However, its pricetag (being limited to the sedan body style and only available in high-spec trim) eventually led to its demise, and the Tipo range is all the poorer for it.

It should also be noted that the Tipo is available in other markets with a turbocharged version of the 1.4-litre petrol engine, and this one would have ticked some more performance boxes as well: with 88 kW and 215 Nm, mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox, if would have given the Tipo some sparkle in the performance arena, but this derivative never made its way here at all.

So, given the remaining two power units, which one is the most efficient? Given the fact that we’re using the officially-claimed fuel consumption figures here, the efficiency crown has to go to the smaller 1.4-litre 16V engine. The combination of its smaller displacement and a more-efficient manual gearbox pays dividends in overall efficiency, although frequent use with a full load might favour the torquier 1.6-litre automatic instead.